No. 9
FINANCE COMMITTEE.
148
PRESENT:
COUNCIL CHAMBER,
HONGKONG, 17th March, 1886.
The Honourable the Acting Colonial Secretary, (FREDERICK STEWART, LL.D.), Chairman.
His Honour the Chief Justice, (Sir GEORGE PHILLIPPO, Knt.).
The Honourable the Acting Attorney General, (EDWARD JAMES ACKROYD).
The Colonial Treasurer, (ALFRED LISTER).
The Surveyor General (JOHN MACNEILE PRICE).
PHINEAS RYRIE.
WILLIAM KESWICK,
THOMAS JACKSON,
WONG SHING.
5
ABSENT:
C. O. Desp. No.
The Honourable FREDERICK DAVID SASSOON (on leave).
The Committee meet this day at the request of the Acting Colonial Secretary.
The Minutes of the last Meeting, held on the 12th instant, are read and confirmed.
(1.) The Acting Colonial Secretary moves that the following be added to the Committee's recommendations of last meeting in connection with the raising of the proposed loan :--
That the Committee consider that the sum to be applied to the payment of interest and sinking fund on the loan should not exceed £15,000 per annum. Carried unanimously.
(2.) Read a Despatch from the Secretary of State for the Colonies on the subject of the proposed direct telegraphic communication between Singapore and this Colony.
1886.
C.O. 168 of 1886.
The Committee are of opinion that, having regard to the demands now made on the resources of the Colony for Defences and Extraordinary Public Works, the Colony is not in a position, at present, to contribute to the subsidy required for the direct Cable between Singapore and Hongkong.
(3.) Read a Minute by His Excellency the Officer administering the Government, recommending a vote of $450 to enable the Sanitary Board to carry out the special cleansing of tenements within the City, during the year 1886.
The Committee find that the annual cleansing takes place in the months of February, June, and October in each year, and that the Sanitary Board estimate that each of these cleansings will cost $150.
The Committee further find that these cleansings have had good results, as much as 180 tons above the average daily quantity of refuse having been removed during the last special cleansing.
The Committee therefore recommend that the sum, which appears to be reasonable, should be voted.
The Committee adjourn sine die.
Read and confirmed this 24th day of March, 1886.
ARATHOON SETH,
Clerk of Councils.
FREDERICK STEWART,
Chairman.